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You find out you’re pregnant and you’re sooo excited about this little person that’s growing inside of you. A few weeks go by and those favorite jeans of yours start getting tight. At first, you’re looking forward to finally buying some maternity clothes and then you see the price tag on them. “I’m supposed to pay how much for pants I’ll only wear for five months!”
I experienced sticker shock when I first started shopping around for clothes to accommodate my ever-growing bump. You have to understand, I’m a fashionista on a budget and now that I’m expecting I’m even more cognizant of the budget. Another problem I’ve had is finding clothes that accommodate the bump but don’t necessarily resemble a circus tent. But I’ve managed to find a few solutions to this growing bump for the style and budget conscious mama-to-be:
Le Tote: You’ve seen me rave about the Le Tote clothing subscription service before so I knew when I found out I was pregnant that I would be converting my subscription from the regular to the maternity plan. I’m currently paying $79/month for the Maternity Plan that sends me 4 pieces of clothing in every tote. I have to tell you it’s been a life-saver! The Maternity clothes that Le Tote carries are varied and they have options for pretty much anything you have to do while preggers. And at $79, it costs about as much as one pair of Pea in the Pod skinny jeans. Plus, I love that I can use my Le Tote selections to figure out what’s most flattering on this bump before I go out and commit to a piece. You can try a free sample tote by using my referral code: https://letote.com/freetote/GRACE1271.
H&M: I had heard high praise from other Mamas when it came to H&M’s maternity line but Charleston for some reason doesn’t feel like it needs to carry any maternity lines at traditionally non-maternity stores, so I had to take a chance and just order some pieces. I ordered a couple pairs of their MAMA Skinny Jeans and their MAMA Sports Leggings. After just one wear of the skinny jeans I am thoroughly convinced that H&M is the perfect balance of Mama function and Mama style.
Target: While my local Target is pretty choosy with what pieces they carry from Target’s many maternity lines, overall, I have found that Target does have great options for the Mama on a budget. You just may have to order a lot of the cooler pieces online. But I have managed to snag a couple of bodycon Isabel Maternity by Ingrid & Isabel dresses that were on sale at my local Target and I’ve worn one of them at least once a week since Week 16. What I love most about Target’s maternity selection is that they cover the bases while keeping prices reasonable. Plus you can get things for baby while you’re shopping for yourself.
Yes, I acknowledge I have to get back on my photography A-game. I’m just a little rusty, admittedly, having gone back to my old ways of not thinking about my own goals but I’m back.
Everyone hopes when they’re pregnant that they’re going look cute and put together like all the InstaMoms seem to. I realized that looking put together isn’t always as simple as they make it seem. While you should typically be able to buy your non-pregnant size in your maternity wear, for instance, I found that because my chest had grown so much while pregnant my top isn’t exactly a small anymore. Don’t let whatever your clothing tag says while pregnant make you feel bad though. Remember this is all temporary to house the little life that’s growing inside of you. Plus anyone who cares how big you are is a jerk and has probably never been pregnant before. So get you some maternity jeans and go take on the world you badass Mama!
I’ll be updating this post as I find more affordable brands and services that I like for maternity fashions. I’ll be here growing until July so you know I’m going to need Spring and Summer fashions.
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